The Inseparability of Compassion and Emptiness
Compassion is the beneficial thought that moves you to help other sentient beings. It arises when you see their misery and pain, and you feel from the depth of your heart that you want to remove that suffering. Compassion can be divided into three types. The first is compassion that focuses on sentient
beings, the second is compassion that focuses on ignorance, and the third is compassion without any focus. The first type of compassion is easy to understand; if we look closely at the painful situations that sentient beings experience, we feel compassion and want to change their miserable conditions.
The second kind of compassion is directed toward a deeper level; it is compassion for the ignorance that sentient beings have about the true nature of phenomena. Everything about their bodies, possessions, and emotions is constantly changing, but due to ignorance, sentient beings grasp and cling to their
lives as if they will last for aeons. Then, when things change, they suffer. This type of compassion focuses on ignorance as the root of all suffering. The third type of compassion is objectless compassion. The first two types of compassion have objects: the first has the suffering of sentient beings and the
second has their ignorance, but the third type has no particular focus. It is the deepest level of compassion; it is the meditation on the absolute state of equanimity. With this kind of compassion there are no distinctions between sentient beings and nonsentient beings; one’s compassion is equal for all.
One simply rests in the absolute, natural state, without any particular ideas or judgments. This compassion arises from the realization of emptiness and is free from all desire and duality. This level of meditation is achieved gradually and it is not as easy to understand as the first two types of compassion.
Practicing compassion will bring about the recognition of emptiness as the true nature of the mind. When you practice virtuous actions of love and compassion on the relative level, you spontaneously realize the profound nature of emptiness, which is the absolute level. In turn, if you focus your meditation practice on emptiness, then your loving-kindness and compassion will spontaneously grow.
These two natures, the absolute and the relative, are not opposites; they always arise together. They have the same nature; they are inseparable like a fire and its heat or the sun and its light. Compassion and emptiness are not like two sides of a coin. Emptiness and compassion are not two separate elements joined together; they are always coexistent.
In Buddhism, emptiness does not mean the absence of apparent existence. Emptiness is not like a black hole or darkness, or like an empty house or an empty bottle. Emptiness is fullness and openness and flexibility. Because of emptiness it is possible for phenomena to function, for beings to see and hear, and
for things to move and change. It is called emptiness because when we examine things we cannot find anything that substantially and solidly exists. There is nothing that has a truly existent nature. Everything we perceive appears through ever-changing causes and conditions, without an independent, solid
basis. Although from a relative perspective things appear, they arise from emptiness and they dissolve into emptiness. All appearances are like water bubbles or the reflection of the moon in water.
Buddhist logic analyzes objects, both physical and mental, to see whether a truly existent essence can be found. One can mentally break down a physical object until it is only atoms, and those atoms can be divided into subtle atoms, and those can be analyzed until there is nothing at all. Objects are
designated as such only by the imagination. External objects do not exist the way we believe them to be — as solid, singular, and permanent. If we look deeper, whatever appears is not truly there; it is a sort of hallucination.
Once we understand the emptiness of outer forms, we should look at the mind itself. What is the mind? Where is it? In analyzing its various aspects, we cannot find the mind of the past or the future, or even the mind of the present moment. The mind is also empty of substantial existence; it cannot be grasped. Everything, including the mind, is ultimately illusory and imaginary.
This understanding of relative and absolute truth can be applied in practical ways. For example, when you find yourself getting angry at someone, if you look immediately at the nature of your mind, you will not be able to find any substantial anger or anyone who is getting angry. If you really see that
anger is empty by nature, then the anger will dissolve itself. The best way to eliminate negative emotions is by recognizing their emptiness. This is approaching disturbing emotions on the absolute level. To approach them on the relative level by using compassion as an antidote can also be very helpful.
After the emotional energy has subsided somewhat, you could think compassionately: “I shouldn’t feel angry because this person is acting out of ignorance. Because she doesn’t see clearly, she doesn’t know what is appropriate, and this conflict has arisen. I wish she could be free from all ignorance and suffering.”
Buddha Shakyamuni explained the union of appearance and emptiness in the Heart Sutra . This text begins with the Buddha entering the samadhi of profound illumination, and by the power of that samadhi Shariputra had the wisdom to ask Avalokiteshvara how a bodhisattva should train in perfect wisdom. Even
though Avalokiteshvara gave the explanation, since it was due to the power of the Buddha’s meditation that Shariputra asked the question, this sutra is considered to be the Buddha’s teaching.
In the Heart Sutra Avalokiteshvara explained that form is emptiness and emptiness is form; emptiness is not different than form, and form is not different than emptiness. Whatever we see is empty of inherent nature and yet it clearly appears. There is nothing solid to hold onto, yet things continue to
manifest. If this is true, why do we cling to people and things as being real? It is because of a wrong understanding. This mistaken view is what we need to break down, so that we see whatever appears in an open and impartial way. It is extremely important to realize emptiness as the true nature of reality.
The great meditation master and scholar Nagarjuna said that phenomena are actually nothing, that on the absolute level they are emptiness, yet on the relative level they appear and function. Since all appearances are empty by nature, the relative and absolute aspects are inseparably united. One could never find emptiness without appearance or appearance without emptiness.
In terms of practice, the wish to attain enlightenment for the sake of others and the cultivation of love and compassion are the relative practice, and meditation on great emptiness is the absolute practice. When you maintain the natural state of mind in meditation, then compassion and loving-kindness
spontaneously radiate. When you practice immeasurable love and compassion for others, then the emptiness nature of all phenomena becomes clear. As much as possible you should practice with the understanding that compassion and emptiness are inseparable.The Channels and Winds
According to the tantric Buddhist system, of all the aspects of the body — its bones, muscles, blood, and so on, the three principal aspects are the channels, the wind, and the essence element. The channels are the most important because they carry the wind, which moves the essence element throughout the body. When the channels are perfectly balanced, then the wind energy and the essence element are also balanced.
The channels, or the nervous system, are like the roots of the body. There are 1,072 major channels in the body. When a baby is conceived from the initial mingling of consciousness with the two elements of the parents in the mother’s womb, the first things that form are the channels. The first channel that
appears in the fetus is the navel channel. Right after that, the two channels of the eyes are formed. These three main channels, the navel channel and the two channels of the eyes, are the foundation of the body. As a baby grows, each week there are major developments and changes inside the mother’s womb, and gradually the other large channels form until the body structure is complete.
According to the inner teachings of the vajrayana, the body has three main channels. The most important is the central channel, which is known as the avadhuti in Sanskrit and as the uma in Tibetan. The central channel starts four fingers below the navel and goes straight up to the top of the head. On the
right side of the central channel there is another channel, in which the white elements of the body flow. It is half as big around as the central channel, and it goes up to the head and comes down to the right nostril. The third major channel is on the left side of the central channel. It is the same size as the right channel, and it goes up to the head and down to the left nostril. The left channel is red, since the red elements of the body pass through it.
channels and four chakras
The four chakras, or wheels of the channels, are joined to the three channels. At the crown of the head is the “crown chakra of great bliss,” which has thirty-two spokes or petals. The second chakra is the “enjoyment chakra,” which is located in the throat and has sixteen spokes. The third chakra is called
the “dharma chakra,” and it is in the heart center. This chakra has eight spokes, which are related to the heart as well as to the main channels. The fourth chakra is the navel chakra, with sixty-four spokes or petals. It is called the “manifestation chakra” because it is the source of everything you experience; everything is reflected or manifested from that center.
The three channels and four chakras are the basic ground of the body; they are the source and the main condition for all of one’s experiences and sense consciousnesses. In all human beings, the three major channels and the four chakras are basically structured in the same way. However, the minor channels
are formed differently in different people. Because of differences in the minor channels, people have different personalities, different ways of talking and acting, and different experiences.
All human beings generally see the same things. When people look at a tree or a flower, they see a similar object because the three channels and four chakras are similar. However, since the minor channels function differendy in the way they join the main channels and chakras, some people find an object
interesting or beautiful while others do not. People have different tastes, experiences, and understandings based on the different formations of the small channels in their bodies.
This applies only to human beings. If we look at the way animals perceive, they see objects differendy than humans because their channels are structured differendy. For example, humans can see the five basic colors, but animals do not see them. Buddha Shakyamuni taught that the beings in each of the six
realms see a predominantly different color. For example, hell beings see mosdy black colors. The hungry ghosts see mostly a dark red color. The animals see mostly a dark green color. Only in the higher realms of the humans, jealous gods, and gods do beings see all five colors. And in the god realm, the gods see more white color along with the other colors.
The reason the various classes of beings in the six realms see different colors is because color and vision are dependent upon the structure of the channels. Things like colors do not actually exist externally. On the absolute level, in reality, your vision of things like colors comes from inside. Your
vision reflects out and you see things externally. This is one reason why the channels are important. If you know about the channels and can control them, then you will have more control of your vision and your experience, and you will not be as confused. Keeping an erect body posture is an important factor in balancing the channels and chakras.
When your channels are perfectly balanced, the wind energy becomes more gende and normal. The breath or wind energy is an important element of the body because it communicates between the outside and the inside of the body. Your whole body, as well as your consciousness, relies upon the breath. The wind energy and the mind travel together through the channels.
In the vajrayana teachings there is a well-known example for the relationship between the body, the channels, the wind, and the mind. The body is like the ground or the earth, the channels are like the roads, the wind is like a horse, and the mind or consciousness is like a person who is riding the horse. If
the horse is wild, the person is carried in all directions, wherever the horse ends up going. Similarly, if the wind is unbalanced, the consciousness is carried by the wind through all the channels of the body. But if the wind element is tamed, then the mind that rides on the wind is tame as well.
The goal of meditation practice is to bring everything into the natural state. In order to do this it is important to know how the channels dominate the body, and second, how the wind energy affects the mind. One way in which the wind element affects the mind is that it establishes your sense of time. The
wind element manifests as the pulse, and each beat of the pulse is considered to be one second. The watch that you wear is like a duplicate of your pulse. Time is reflected externally so that you experience minutes, hours, months, and years, but actually, your sense of time depends upon your inner state.
It is said that a healthy adult breathes twelve times a minute, counting the inhalation and exhalation as one breath. Adding it up, we find that people breathe many thousands of times every day. Most of the winds are connected with the emotions, but about every two hundred breaths there is a breath of
wisdom wind. If you know about the wind energy, you can calculate the wisdom wind perfectly. By recognizing the wisdom wind, you can linger in that moment or use that wisdom wind to transform the rest of your emotional winds into the wisdom wind.
There are many vajrayana techniques connected with the wind energy, such as the bum chert , the big vase practice, and the bum chung , the small vase practice. These bring extraordinary physical powers. For example, experts on the wind energy can travel long distances very quickly. If it normally takes
one week to walk somewhere, they can walk that far in one day. Through controlling their winds, they can levitate and fly in the sky, and their bodies become younger and more healthy, with less wrinkles and gray hair.
The dzogchen tradition teaches the importance of four levels of straightness: when the body becomes straight, then the channels become straight. When the channels become straight, then the wind energy becomes straight. When the wind element becomes straight, then the mind becomes straight and primordial wisdom shines out.
However, samsara is not really straight; it is always circling back on itself. In the vajrayana tradition there is an illustration called the “wheel of life,” which depicts samsara. In the center of the wheel of life there are three animals — a pig, a rooster, and a snake, which are coming out of each
others’ mouths and circling around. These animals represent the three poisons. The pig is a symbol of ignorance, the source of samsara. Ignorance gives birth to attachment, which is symbolized by the rooster. Anger develops from attachment, in that whatever prevents the fulfillment of desire becomes an
object of anger. Anger is symbolized by the snake. The interconnection of these three shows ignorance as the root of samsaric existence, giving rise again and again to confused emotions and actions.
To step out of the circle of samsara, we need to straighten and balance the body, the channels, and the wind. At the same time we must train in compassion and loving-kindness for all beings. If we balance the wind energy and the channels, and practice loving-kindness and compassion, then enlightenment will certainly follow
